Iranian state media is applauding a decision by Guinness World Records not to accept any submissions from Israel after the records-keeping organization cited the “current climate” amid the ongoing war with Hamas. The Islamic Republic News Agency this week said the decision “serves as a clear message from the international community to Tel Aviv,” questioning both the political legitimacy of the Jewish state and its cultural and social standing.
Guinness World Records, formerly known in the U.S. as The Guinness Book of World Records, recently turned down an application from Matnat Chaim [Gift of Life], an Israeli group that promotes voluntary kidney donations. The organization asked Guinness to confirm that the 2,000 transplants it facilitated were a world record.
Guinness declined to consider the request, however.
“In the current climate, we are not generally processing record applications from the Palestinian Territories or Israel, or where either is given as the attempt location,” they said in a statement.
The only exceptions are those done in cooperation with a U.N. aid organization, Guinness said.
The state-owned IRNA said the rejection follows “significant public pressure” from human rights groups that have condemned Israel following the October 2023 invasion of the Gaza Strip.
“Human rights activists are urging other international organizations to follow suit and hold the Israeli regime accountable for its systematic human rights violations,” IRNA said.
On Wednesday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar slammed the decision by Guinness to reject the application from Matnat Chaim.
“This is inexcusable. 2,000 Israeli kidney donors are making the largest donation ever, yet they are being denied the Guinness World Record simply because they are from Israel,” Mr. Sa’ar said in a statement. “We expect and demand that this twisted decision be revoked immediately.”
Guinness said its policy has been in place since November 2023, a month after Hamas militants launched an attack into southern Israel that killed some 12,00 people — including 46 U.S. citizens — and resulted in the abduction of more than 250 hostages.
“We are aware of just how sensitive the topic is at the moment,” Guinness said. “We are monitoring the situation carefully, and the policy is subject to a monthly review. We hope to be in a position to receive new inquiries soon.”
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said he was glad that Mr. Sa’ar condemned the decision to reject Israeli world record submissions.
“How can people be so filled with hate and bigotry?” the ambassador said in a post on X.
